


Fulfilled

by inabsurd



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Accidental kidnapping, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Arranged Marriage, Ghost Crew - Freeform, Multi, Slow Burn, fic takes place in the 15th century ish for context, youkai adressing their concerns for Natsume in wildely inappropriate ways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-08-13 04:23:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20168095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabsurd/pseuds/inabsurd
Summary: "Are you lonely, Natsume?"He doesn't think so, but when his crew decides to take action anyway, Natsume can't help but think maybe, just this once, there is some merit to Madara's concerns. He doesn't want to part with Taki and Tanuma at any rate.





	Fulfilled

**Author's Note:**

> The art is by the lovely Irene who was my super talented partner for this big bang! I loved working with her and she does some seriously great work so make sure to show your support for her on Tumblr @devilhimelily

Looking down at the crew of his grandmother’s ship,  _ his  _ ship, Takashi can’t help but revel in the warm glow of pride that engulfs him.

Ever since he came to be captain of his grandmother’s vessel, the  _ Yuujinchou _ , and its ghostly crew, he’s faced nothing but trouble. Despite never needing food, drink, or rest, a great many of the spectres prefer to slack off rather than work, and, unlike most sea captains, Takashi doesn’t have the heart to punish them for their behaviour. Reiko did, he’s told. She was swift and harsh when need be, and her crew rarely saw her outside of battle, yet they cared for her more than any of them will ever admit. He’s certain they only kept him around at first out of sentimentality, but now Takashi feels he’s found true friends in his companions.

He leads Reiko’s crew, although he’s done a fairly poor job of it thus far. To say he’s been learning on the job would be a gross misrepresentation of how little he truly understands about life aboard the  _ Yuujinchou _ . He’s captain in name more than practice as the quartermaster, Misuzu, runs most of the day to day while Takashi learns from Madara, his closest friend aboard the ship, how he  _ should  _ be leading the crew. Over the years, Takashi's gotten better at the raiding and pillaging of other boats, but he never initiates--much to his crew's despair--and he's not done any recruitment since he came to be captain.

Reiko was an unorthodox pirate for many reasons, first and foremost being crew of spirits, the second for how she gained new ship hands; she gathered them to her side after battle by forcing the fallen to join the  _ Yuujinchou _ . She remained undefeated on both the high seas and upon land, and her power grew. Reiko’s recruitment method is something Takashi thinks he'll never understand, nor will he ever learn how she won the loyalty of those she imprisoned, but he's grateful for it all nonetheless. Without the ghosts to run the vessel, the young captain would have no substantial or consistent method of repaying the Fujiwaras, and he wouldn't have the connection with his grandmother he does now, despite her absence. His life is enriched by their presence, and since departing to the sea, he has never once been lonely.

Today, the crew is hard at work preparing to port in the morning. Takashi’s been out to sea for six months now, and is eager to return to his family with money from the goods he’s retrieved. Before he can see the Fujiwara’s again, however, he has to trade the spices and naval weapons he pillaged for money, as the village his family resides in doesn’t have much in the way of trade. The plan is to stop in Hakata for a day or so to trade, and then sail further North to the fishing village of the Fujiwaras.

“Misuzu, what other preparations need to be done?” he asks from his place at the helm.

The quartermaster, a lanky man with long, wavy hair, grins widely at Takashi, “Not much left, Natsume-dono. Some of the deck hands are loading and categorizing the goods, and Madara is looking over rations to ensure you can survive the remainder of the journey.”

Takashi frowns at that, “Sensei looking over the rations? He’ll get into the sake again.”

Misuzu inclines his head in acknowledgement, “He likely will.”

“Hinoe!” the captain calls down to the main deck. Generally, the woman handles navigation, but with their heading steady and within a days sail, she instead has spent her day smoking, at least as far as Takashi can tell. “Steer the ship for me!”

The ghost rolls her eyes, but rises to follow the order nonetheless.

That taken care of, Takashi leaves to go below to the store room in search of Madara.

Despite the fact that Takashi is the only human aboard the ship and, thus, the only one in genuine need of sustenance, the captain hardly eats more than his crew, who take inane pleasure in drinking themselves into stupidity. Sake is Nyanko’s vice in particular, and Takashi finds his time aboard the  _ Yuujinchou  _ is spent chasing the spirit out of the store room more often than not. These past few weeks in particular have left the reserves increasingly bare.

“Sensei,” he calls as he opens the door. As suspected, the spirit has a bottle in his paws and his form flickers into incorporality as he loses his hold on the physical realm. Worse yet, his mentor seems to have drug two of the deck hands into joining him.

“Natsume!” the old cat cheers at his appearance, “Come drink with us!”

The captain sighs, “That’s enough for all of you,” he stalks forward and swipes the sake from Madara’s flickering form, raising a chorus of drunken whines behind him.

“Come on, Natsume-sama, lighten up,” one of the crew members, the bald one with one eye, complains.

His companion, the spirit of a bull, chants, “Lighten up, lighten up.”

The human shakes his head with a fond scowl, “You all have work to do before we dock,” he reminds them, “Sober up and get to it.”

With twin grunts, the deck hands raise themselves from the ground and clumsily make their way out the door, leaving Takashi alone with his mentor.

“So do we have enough supplies to make the journey home or do I need to restock in Hakata?” the captain asks accusingly.

Madara is silent for several moments, “Are you lonely, Natsume?”

Silence pervades the room, thick and heavy in the air.

“How could I be with you all at my side?” the human finally says, tense but truthful. He doesn’t feel lonely, in any case, although he does ache to be with his family when he’s on the sea for long periods of time.

Madara eyes his captain suspiciously, before turning his gaze towards the wall, focused on a sight that resides in the spirit’s memories, “Reiko was. She never said so, but we knew,” he meets Takashi’s eyes once more, “All humans are when surrounded by death.”

Takashi isn’t sure how to respond to this, and his silence betrays his unfamiliarity with the topic. He and Sensei never discuss these matters. They have a mutual understanding of each other, and most times, the important things between them are left unsaid, but understood regardless of their silence. For Madara to actually breech such a topic makes Takshi wonder if he should be worried.

Finally, he says, “I miss home sometimes, but I don’t regret the way my life turned out.”

Madara eyes him for a long while, observant and calculating, "The living and dead were never meant to be this close knit, Natsume," the old cat grumbles, "Whether you regret your life or not, we aren't human anymore. There are things we can’t offer you."

Takashi smiles, although it turns out more as a grimace than anything else, "You don't need to worry about me, Sensei. I've made my choice."

"You shouldn't have had to," the spirit says. He stands then, "Follow me," his eyes shine with a determination unbefitting his drunken state.

Confused but intrigued, the captain decides to humour him.

It's not often Madara, or any of the crew for that matter, take anything seriously. Being dead seems to have distanced them from the  _ trivialities of life _ , so to see his mentor act and speak so seriously worries Takashi. Usually, the only topic the ghost crew acknowledges that could kill their mood is their late captain, Reiko.

The spectre waddles his way through the ship on stubby paws, and leads Takashi above deck. “Wait here,” the spirit says, indicating some crewmates to follow, and heads below deck once more.

The human paces idly, looking on curiously to his crew. They seem to know what his mentor has planned, if their tense forms and the sudden quiet is anything to go by. Confused and intrigued as he is, he barely suppresses the urge to follow Madara, or to ask his crew what exactly they have planned. Knowing the spirits, whatever it is, Takashi suspects they’ve gone overboard with it.

Not five minutes later, Nyanko-sensei returns, the cyclops deckhand from before and Hinoe trailing behind him, each escorting newcomers that Takashi has never seen before. The cat hops up upon the captain's shoulder to watch the proceedings, a knowing gleam in his eyes.

The newcomers are each human in appearance , and dressed in fine silk kimonos, although they appear a little worn. In Takashi’s experience, it’s unusual for spirits to look anything less than pristine, but the human can hardly be considered an expert either. The man wears purple and struggles against the hold of the deck hand, not violently, but he isn’t making it easy for Takashi’s crew to bring to his knees. The woman on the other hand, wears far finer fabric in red and green, and barely moves at all. Her painted face is slack with shock as she meets Takashi’s eyes.

“Who are they?” the captain asks, feeling as stunned as the woman looks. 

The cyclops spirit turns to Hinoe, confused, “You see…”

Hinoe gestures to the woman she guards, “She was just so cute! Madara suggested we take them, and how could I say no?”

“Sensei,” the captain feels his eye twitch in annoyance, “Who are they and what are they doing on my ship?”

The cat huffs, “They’re humans, Natsume.”

Takashi’s stomach drops, head swiveling to the two before him. He eyes their fine kimonos, torn and soggy at the edges, and their tired, sleepless eyes, "How long have you been aboard my ship?" he asks, voice soft.

The newcomers-- _ humans _ \--glance at each other, "I'd think you'd know that better than us," the man says. His voice is harsh, accusing, but his eyes betray his confusion.

"I'm afraid not," his heart aches for them. Turning a glare to his mentor, Takashi all but growls, "What did you do?"

"Ingrate," comes the spirit's response, "We brought them for you."

The humans gasp, but the captain ignores it for the moment, "What do you mean?"

"We were worried about you," the deckhand guarding the man says.

The conversation with Madara suddenly clicks into place, "I said I was fine," he pinches the bridge of his nose.

"And I brought you humans anyway," the cat points out.

Takashi sighs. He wants to argue with his mentor, with his crew that are all clearly in on this half-brained plot, but he knows better than to try. The crew is dead, and the dead don't change the way humans do. They can't progress, they lose touch with reality, and they find it seemingly impossible to view a situation from a different perspective. To argue with the crew is a futile endeavor, and to argue with Madara specifically only invites headaches.

"Let them go," he orders the spirits.

They each obey, perhaps sensing that they've pushed their captain too far today, and back away from the prisoners--not before blowing a kiss to the woman, in Hinoe’s case. With the dismissal, they meander off to join the rest of the crew, leaving the humans and Madara alone.

Of course, alone doesn't necessarily mean in privacy when aboard the  _ Yuujinchou _ . The crew still above deck blatantly watch their captain, and he has no doubt that each and every one of them is straining to hear the conversation.

"I'm sorry about my crew," he tells them, and hopes that they can see his sincerity, "They can be a little..."  _ Overprotective _ , he thinks, but wouldn't dare voice aloud with Madara listening, "I'm sorry," he says instead, and hopes it's enough.

The humans, his accidental prisoners, bring themselves to their feet, "You really didn't know?" the woman asks, looking at him like he's a ghost himself--like he's something otherworldly, and to be distrusted and feared.

Takashi shakes his head. "No, I didn't," he pauses awkwardly, noting rancid smell that clings to the fabric of their clothes. The captain can only think that Nyanko-sensei and the rest of the crew kept them trapped in the bilge, a place Takashi visits only when absolutely necessary. They must have known that their captain wouldn't stumble across their captives there. "I have fresh clothes," he offers, "And a tub you could bathe in."

The humans share a nervous glance, eyeing Takashi and his crew in suspicion. Finally, after a long, pregnant pause, they agree.

"We'll need an explanation too,” the woman insists, eyes determined.

The captain gulps imperceptibly, "Yes, I suppose you will."

The captain is a strange man, Tooru decides. After she and her fiancé have bathed and changed into clothes that she is fairly certain were stolen, the pirate tells a tale of his grandmother who died too young, and her vessel that sailed captainless for decades before Natsume came aboard.

The crew is made almost exclusively of his grandmother's defeated enemies, ghosts, he tells them, although many of them don’t look human at all.

"The  _ Yuujinchou _ came to my family's village when I was younger," he tells them, "The ship ran aground in the fog and I went to investigate," the captain laughs then, soft and fond, "The crew mistook me for Reiko, and, well, I took over after that."

It's not the story Tooru expected, but she thinks she likes it anyway.

"What made you decide to start pirating?" Kaname asks curiously. He seems taken aback at his own bluntness but he's obviously eager to listen.

Natsume smiles, "My family," he tells them, eyes alight in an emotion Tooru can only label as adoration, "The village is quite poor and I want to protect them."

He appears to be honest at the very least, and the woman can't help but admire his conviction, "That's very noble of you," she tells him before the irony of a noble pirate can truly sink in and still her tongue.

"Thank you," the pirate can't quite meet her eyes, but Tooru finds it more endearing than rude.

_ This man, _ she thinks,  _ Is the last thing I would have expected from our captor. _

Silence stretches between them for a moment, "Where did my crew find you?" the captain asks, looking sheepish, "I'll of course return you to your home."

"We were travelling on a merchant ship, but we’re from Eastern Shikoku," Kaname says. Natsume's face pinches together at that.

"What is it?" Tooru asks.

Apologetically, he says, "That's a fair ways from where we are now. We're sailing for Hakata to restock on supplies, and then..." he pauses, a tight smile on his face, "We could sail through the Honshu-Kyushu pass to shorten the trip."

"You're making a face like that's a bad idea," Kaname points out.

"We'll be fine so long as we restock," the captain says, "But..." he seems to steel himself, "If you're willing, I'd like to sail South from Hakata instead of taking the pass."

Tooru frowns, "But that would lengthen the trip, wouldn't it?"

Natsume nods, "It would. But my family is in Western Kyushu, and I was hoping to deliver the money we make in Hakata to them."

She glances nervously to her fiancé. On the one hand, she's sure their own families must be worried sick at their absence--especially considering how against the arranged marriage Tooru was at first--she doesn't even want to guess what people are speculating--but on the other hand, this is Natsume's ship, and neither she nor Kaname can stop him from sailing wherever he'd like if the man really wanted to force it. The fact that he's even asking for their consent on the route, or planning to take them home at all is sort of a miracle considering they were  _ kidnapped by pirates _ . Ghost pirates, as it would seem.

Tooru is about to tell the captain that they’ve got their own families to worry about and hope he’s receptive to being told no, but then she looks at him, looks at the concern on his face, and can’t bring herself to go through with it.

"I'm sure we could stand a little sight-seeing before our wedding," she says with a grin.

Kaname, although confused, doesn’t argue, "It'll be an adventure,” he says instead, a matching grin on his own face.

Tooru can’t help but think he’s going to be right about that.

They spend the night in the captain’s quarters, Natsume having given it up for his accidental prisoners out of what Kaname can only assume is guilt. Despite the fact that the  _ Yuujinchou  _ has been pirating for two generations of Natsumes, the room, while quite large, is almost entirely bare. It makes Kaname a little uncomfortable, but considering where they had been sleeping previously, he’s only subjected to the empty room for the hour he and Tooru spend talking before falling asleep the moment he closes his eyes.

Early the next morning, before the sun has even risen, Kaname awakens to one of the captain’s ghosts, the calico cat that was on his shoulder yesterday, pawing at their blankets and complaining loudly.

Tooru gasps at the sight of it, and the man has only long enough to grimace in sympathy before she throws herself at the spirit with a squeal.

It yowls, eyes wide in distress for just a moment before Tooru somehow slips forward and falls right through it, landing on her stomach with a soft ‘oomf’.

Kaname can’t help but laugh at his fiancée’s expense, even as he offers her a hand up.

“Of all the ridiculous, disrespectful welcomes!” the cat grumbles, tottering several feet out of Tooru’s reach. “I am immeasurably powerful,” it tells them indignantly, “You should watch yourself.”

A snicker escapes him before he can hold it back, much to the creatures offense. It huffs, sputtering and hissing all the while. Eventually, Kaname’s able to control himself, and Tooru stops trying to pat the thing.

“That’s better,” it finally says, although it doesn’t sound all too happy, “Natsume sent me to tell you that we made it to Hakata. We’re approaching the docks now.”

Tooru shoots an eager smile at Kaname, “Do you think we’ll be allowed to go to shore?”

The cat scoffs, “If he wasn’t going to let you go already, all you’d have to do is ask. With how guilty he’s feeling, I doubt there’s anything you couldn’t talk him into.”

The spirit waddles back outside of the cabin, leaving the two humans alone.

“Well,” Tooru says, pushing past all of the questions Kaname can see dancing in her eyes, “Let’s go get to know our captain.”

Hakata is quiet in the early morning, making it ideal for the crew of the  _ Yuujinchou  _ to begin unloading their loot. While the more powerful spirits can look as solid and human as anyone else on the street, they all lose that ability the moment they leave the ship’s deck. The vessel acts as a tether and a power source to the outside world, and without it, they slip back into incorporeality and translucidity. The crew can help transport goods to the dock and onto a cart, but that is as far as they get before they lose the ability to grab physical objects.

Normally, going to port is a hassle for Takashi, who has to handle the selling all on his own, but having the company of two other humans has made the whole experience a lot easier for him.

The man, Tanuma, is quite strong, which proves invaluable once they actually get to market. Instead of Takashi and some poor shopkeep trying to unload the heavier goods, Tanuma has no problem offering up his services. He’s daimyo, Takashi learns, and has had years of military training within his family. Taki is also daimyo, and far better at haggling than Takashi has ever been. She’s done a lot of reading, and although she prefers stories of local legends, her upbringing is evident in her wide range of knowledge. Tanuma seems to have had similar schooling, but he’s a bit too soft to get the better end of a deal the way his fiancée does.

In the end, the captain ends up mainly navigating their little trio to all of the best fences in the market, and helping Tanuma lift the wider items. The selling is finished by lunch time, and Takashi has more money for his family than he ever has before, as well as ample provisions for another journey. He takes the humans out to a small shop serving hot zosui as a thank you.

“So what now, Captain?” Taki asks with a laugh.

Takashi, doesn’t answer right away, both because he is too busy enjoying a proper meal for the first time in months, and because he isn’t sure exactly what she means. He swallows, “I’d like to return to the ship this evening and set sail.”

“You don’t want to stay the night?”

The pirate shakes his head, an apologetic smile on his lips, “I’m sorry. I’m sure you were looking forward to sleeping on dry land.”

Takashi has tried to spend time on shore a number of times, but usually the citizens can only withstand his intrusion for as long as they’re making money off of his business, and then they want him and his cursed ghost ship gone again. He’s made the mistake of overstaying his welcome one too many times for him to risk the safety of Taki and Tanuma, no matter how badly they must want off of the ship they were held prisoner on.

“We can stay in my family’s village for a few days,” he offers. The village is small, superstitious, and probably even less welcoming than Hakata is, but the farmers and fishermen of the area are less willing to act out violently than the people of a popular trading centre, and Takashi is sure the Fujiwara’s would love it if he spent more time with them.

Taki and Tanuma exchange a look, a wide grin breaking across the woman’s features and a matching, more subdued smile turns up Tanuma’s lips.

“I’m looking forward to meeting your family,” he says.

Taki sits up a little straighter in her chair, eyes bright with sudden realisation, “We should get them gifts!”

The trip from Hakata goes much more smoothly than the trip to it had, now that Takashi has had a chance to get to know his passengers a little. He feels less strain in their interactions, and all of them smile a little easier after spending some time off of the ship. The next morning, the captain sees the daimyo couple leave his quarters bright and early. 

Taki's eyes light up at the sight of open sea, and Tanuma's light up at her. Takashi smiles at the sight, their gentle love infectious even from a distance.

He passes the wheel to Misuzu and meets his guests on the main deck.

"Morning," Tanuma greets him first, a yawn on his lips even as he smiles at Takashi.

"Good morning," the blond greets in kind, "Did you sleep well?"

They each nod, although Taki doesn't seem to meet his eyes. They trail off to the side, widening until Takashi is sure he can see every feeling she's ever had expressed in them. She lets out a squeal, and before either the pirate or her fiancé can stop her, she tears off across the deck towards an increasingly disturbed Madara. He remembers to run a moment too late, and is scooped up in the woman's arms before he can gain any ground.

The spirit yells indignantly, but Takashi can't help but snicker at his mentor's expense.

Tanuma slides closer to the pirate then, so much so that Takashi can feel the heat of his body in a way that's so entirely foreign after years of getting used to the chill of ghosts. "She gets like this every time she sees something cute," Tanuma confides, "It's ruined a few of her family's business deals, but it's why I agreed to meet with her at all when my father proposed the marriage."

There's a pause where the blond can't quite process the--very personal--information, but then he smiles at Tanuma, equally indulgent and confused, "You wanted to marry her because she gets excited about cute things?"

"Well, I suppose that's one reason," the man laughs, "But I wasn't going to meet with her at all before the wedding until my father let that habit slip. Tooru's from a high standing family, which is why my father wanted me to marry into it," Tanuma explains, "But he wanted to make sure I would be happy with the decision as well. I was going to marry her out of obligation, but then I heard she was being married to such a low clan because her love and excitement had scared away a more powerful family," Tanuma shakes his head in an exasperated, bitter way, "After that, I had to meet her. Not because I was worried about her behaviour, but because she seemed more human after that."

Confusion laces Takashi's voice as he asks, "More human?"

Tanuma laughs, "That's poor wording on my part," he says, glancing meaningfully at the crew that work around them in the early morning sun, "I just hadn't thought about what she would be like before that. Her family is well renowned and mine," he shrugs, "It's not. It was hard to think of Tooru as a person when I thought of the Taki family. Then I learned that she has her own passions, makes her own mistakes, and," a blush blooms on his face, "Sorry. I'm rambling."

The pirate smiles, "You really care about her."

"I do," Tanuma agrees, a dopey grin appearing on his face ever so briefly, "Still, I think this trip is good for us."

Guilt clenches in Takashi's gut, "You say that like you're on vacation. My crew did kidnap you."

The daimyo shifts his weight onto his other leg, reminding the captain of how close they're standing, "Well, yes, but we didn't stay kidnapped. It was an accident," he pauses at the captain's subdued glare, "Accidental on your part," he corrects. "Anyway, this gives us longer to get to know each other before the wedding."

A thought crosses Takashi's mind then, sudden and strange,  _ I'm glad we got to meet _ . It's a selfish thought considering the circumstances, but the pirate can't help but think that maybe, just this once, there was some merit to Madara's concerns. It doesn’t excuse his methods, but maybe there was something there that required some action anyway.

The pause drags out between them as Takashi realizes that he's missed his opportunity to speak without it sounding out of place. He huffs softly and turns to the other man, a subject change or apology on the tip of his tongue, when he is once again reminded of how close the daimyo is standing. Tanuma seems to notice a moment later, his cheeks dusting a soft pink.

"I should go get Tooru," Tanuma chokes out, an awkward cough punctuating his speech as he backpedals out of Takashi's personal space.

The pirate looks down at the deck, "That would be best. Sensei looks ready to start clawing," he smiles, trying to reassure Tanuma that they're fine regardless of the awkward moment.

Tanuma goes to his fiancée to help pry Madara out of her arms, and Takashi watches on, a strange fluttering ache in his chest.

They spend their day helping Natsume and his crew as best they can, which is to say, not much. Despite her extensive education, Tooru has no practical knowledge about sailing, and neither does Kaname.

Apparently, Natsume isn't that good either if the kitty's words are to be trusted, but she thinks he's doing just fine. He's not much of a teacher, but Tooru can watch him at the very least and then mimic his movements. Her knots are too loose and her fiancé's are too sloppy, but they have fun with it. 

Tooru far prefers steering the ship to dealing with the rigging, and she's quite pleased when the spirit manning the ship, Misuzu, agrees to let her take over so long as she holds the course. It's harder than it looks--the rocking waves and fickle wind causes the ship to jerk awkwardly--but she doesn't run them aground or get them turned around, which she feels pretty good about. By the time Misuzu takes back the wheel, Kaname has mastered the knot Natsume taught him and is helping to tie down the sails in preparation for an approaching storm.

The waves start roiling long before the storm clouds settle in, which is the crews final warning to finish preparations. Natsume takes her and Kaname to help tie down what supplies they bought in Hakata, and then they’re settling in below deck.

“The spirits insist we stay below deck during the storm,” the captain explains.

Tooru quite likes the sound of that and it seems to make sense considering the rest of the crew is already dead, but she can tell that Natsume doesn’t like it. His fists clench uselessly at his sides, and he glances above them as though to see how the rest of the crew is doing every few seconds. She can tell he doesn’t feel comfortable leaving his sailors to fend for themselves.

“Are they at risk at all?” she asks.

The captain nods, “If the ship is too damaged they would lose their tether. They wouldn’t be able to interact with the physical world until we get the  _ Yuujinchou _ repaired. Sometimes, we lose crew members between repairs though.”

“You mean…”

“Yeah.”

_ The crew may not survive.  _ Silence ensues, oppressive in the tense atmosphere.

Kaname is the one to break it, shifting a little in discomfort grips him, “So, your family. What should we expect?”

Tooru inwardly praises her fiancé’s topic of choice. What little he had said about the Fujiwaras while they were out shopping made it clear that he is one of the most dedicated sons in Japan; the subject is one that eases the pirate’s shoulders ever so slightly.

“Touko-san will insist on feeding you. Don’t hesitate to take seconds, it makes her smile,” he says, smiling softly himself. “Shigeru-san seems more serious, but he’s actually very lenient.”

She wants to ask about his other family, his mom and dad, but Tooru holds back. Natsume hasn’t volunteered the information and she doesn’t want to push him for more than he’s willing to share.

“They sound wonderful,” Kaname says, and Tooru has to agree.

“I look forward to meeting them.”

Natsume’s shifting and worried glances have all but ceased, and when his eyes light up at their praise, it’s like watching a storm break, “I’m glad.”

“Please, help yourself,” Touko Fujiwara insists, eyeing both Kaname and his fiancée critically. Next to him, Natsume snickers.

_ Well, he did warn us, _ the man thinks with amusement as he reaches for a second helping.

After getting through the storm no worse for wear, they’d arrived in Takashi’s village, just a few hours behind schedule. Upon knocking on the door, the trio was immediately swept up in introductions, gift giving, and cooking preparations. The Fujiwaras had beamed at their gifts--expensive foreign tea and matching cups from a pottery salesman at the market--but had relentlessly teased their son for not sending notice so they could prepare gifts in kind.

Shigeru smiles at his wife fondly, “Don’t push them too much, dear,” he reminds her, “They’re adults, after all. If they want more food, they can certainly get it without your prodding.”

“But they’re all so thin!” she points out, as if she has somehow failed to provide for them all.

Kaname never had a mother, not one he’s known at any rate, and Tooru’s own is a far cry from nurturing, but he finds he likes Touko and the way she fusses over them all--as though they are all apart of her family and not two strangers her son brought home with no warning after months away at sea.

He can see why Natsume had been so eager to return home now that he’s met the Fujiwaras for himself.

“Oh!” Touko stands from the table suddenly, “I have just the solution! Takashi-kun, will you help me in the kitchen?”

Natsume smiles, clearly eager to help and glad to have been asked. Tooru and Kaname exchange confused looks in their absence.

Shigeru laughs at their puzzled expressions, loud and booming compared to Natsume and Touko’s much more reserved chuckles. “You two have nothing to worry about,” he says conspiratorially, “Unless you have any allergies.”

It clicks then, “More food?” Kaname asks, a little flabbergasted. Not that he is unused to eating well, but even he has limits and he’d made the mistake of eating aboard the  _ Yuujinchou  _ shortly before their arrival.

“Touko likes cooking,” he tells them, “It’s how she takes care of people.”

“She’s very kind,” Tooru says, “You both are. Natsume is lucky to have you.”

“He’s lucky to have you too,” is the man’s reply, looking at each daimyo in turn, “He cares about you.”

Kaname feels disbelief settle inside of him; not because Natsume has done or said anything that makes it seem like he dislikes them, but just because the idea of Natsume Takashi being lucky to have  _ them  _ seems out of place. He was the one who helped them, after all. Had he and Tooru been kidnapped by any other pirate crew, they’d surely still be locked away, underfed, and awaiting their families to pay off some ranson that his father wouldn't be able to afford.

A sort of dreamy expression crosses Tooru’s face as she asks, “You really think so?”

The man barely has time to puzzle over his fiancée’s words before Shigeru is answering, “I know so,” he pauses, not in hesitance but to ensure that his audience is really paying attention, “Takashi-kun didn’t have many people he could trust before he came to live with us. I think we were the first people he ever did,” pride pulls his lips into a smile, “I’m glad he has you two now.”

Guilt rises up in Kaname before he’s even aware it’s there. He shares a look with Tooru to see she too is shifting in discomfort.

Shigeru laughs, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just an observation.”

“Well, actually…” Tooru begins, but is promptly cut off.

“Who wants dessert?” Touko asks, an eager, bright smile on her face. Natsume trails in after her with cutlery, a rosey blush tinting his cheeks.

Kaname’s face heats up in kind, though he’s unsure of the cause.

Taki and Tanuma share a room with him that night, and Takashi isn’t quite sure how to feel about it. He’s never spent time with people overnight, except for his crew of course when they manage to drag him into one of their many drinking parties.

This isn’t a drinking party though, and the pirate has no idea how to handle it. It should be fairly straight forward, falling asleep with others in the room, but he can’t relax no matter how hard he tries.

He’d be tossing on his futon at this point if he’d been alone and restless, but instead the blond is paralyzed. The house is both too quiet and too loud, making Takashi fear that any movement on his part will wake his guests.

Taki snores, soft, delicate sounds, but every once in a while, her breath hitches in her sleep, which almost always precedes a louder snore and brief shift. Tanuma, on the other hand, shifts frequently, his feet in near constant motion even as the rest of his body remains relaxed and still. Otherwise, he hasn’t moved much since first falling asleep when he drifted closer to Taki.

Neither have awoken since they laid down, neither has given any indication of being a light sleeper, but Takashi refrains from shifting anyway for fear of waking them. He monitors his breathing and remains stock still, eyes locked in the direction of the two daimyo that sleep in his room.

Taki’s breath catches once more, and the pirate prepares himself for the woman to shift.

He isn’t prepared for the shift to end with Taki’s face pressed snugly against his shoulder.

Heat clamours to his face, and Takashi’s own breath catches in his throat as he watches the blonde let out a sleepy puff of air as she settles against his side. The captain’s heart thunders in his chest louder than any storm he’s traversed, and he can’t help but think that this sound will be the one that finally pulls his guests from their hard-earned rest.

Neither person moves, but the pirate can’t manage to loosen up the tense line of his body with Taki’s head heavy against him. Every nerve in his shoulder sings at the contact, keeping his muscles taut under his blankets.

After several long, tense moments, Takashi remembers that he needs to breath and lets out a hesitant, shaky breath.

Touko’s words float back to him, unbidden,  _ I like them, Takashi-kun. I’m so happy you finally found someone to bring home to us. Two someone’s just makes it even more special. _

He’d tried to tell her that he isn’t courting either of them, that Tanuma and Taki are engaged, that he’s only known them for a few days, but she had just smiled at him as if she knew something he didn’t.

Feeling Taki’s soft breath against him, Takashi has to force down the thought that maybe she  _ does _ .

It is several tense hours before the daimyo finally shifts again, and by that point Takashi knows he won’t be able to sleep. He breathes a silent sigh of...relief, he thinks, before slowly pulling himself from his futon.

In his years aboard the  _ Yuujinchou,  _ the pirate hasn’t had much cause to sneak around. His crew sleeps when they wish and wake when they wish without a need to do either, so Takashi’s volume has never been an issue. Now, though, he wishes he had given it more attention. Every floorboard, every wall, every bone seems to creak with each step, and he can’t help but worry as he dresses for the day that he’ll awaken the entire household with his poor sneaking abilities.

One particularly vengeful section of tatami squeals as he loses his footing quite literally while attempting to put on his pants, but after a very awkward one-legged balancing act and only minimal shifting from Tanuma, Takashi is creeping out of his bedroom and then the house.

The crisp morning air is a shock to the system, but one he quickly adjusts to thanks to his years on the open sea. Compared to a winter morning on the ocean, the autumn breeze only stops him for a moment.

Before he knows where his feet are taking him, he finds himself at the village’s only dock, where the  _ Yuujinchou  _ waits faithfully.

The gentle padding of his feet against the deck is a familiar sound, and one that comforts him, balming a new wound he hadn’t even realized needed soothing.

“You can’t blame us for not sleeping this time,” Madara mocks the second he lays eyes on the human.

Takashi smiles, a little tighter than usual but it’s a genuine smile nonetheless, “No, I suppose I can’t.”

The cat spirit walks along the banister of the ship, oddly graceful for such a pudgy form, “You humans,” he scoffs, “Always fretting about the stupidest things.”

“It’s not stupid,” he says.

His sensei rolls his eyes, “Is it something that can be resolved?”

Takashi’s thoughts turn to the rapid tempo his pulse took at Taki’s touch, at his admiration of his guests, of Touko’s words, of Tanuma and Taki’s engagement, “I don’t know,” he breathes out, honest and a little afraid.

A sharp rapvagainst his head and an even sharper gibe of “Idiot,” are dealt out by his mentor. “You’re human,” he tells Takashi, a halfhearted glare directed at him, “Of course it is.”

The blond can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from inside, “You would say that.”

“So if you know what I’m likely to say, then why are you here?”

Silence ensues for a moment, “I’m not really sure.”

The spirit groans, “Why is it that when humans have so little time, they spend all of it hesitating?”

“It’s not as simple as just speaking my mind, Sensei,” Takashi gripes, a little put-out, “I barely know them, either of them. They’re engaged, I-” he pauses, realization of what he’s let slip jolting him.

“We brought them on board for a reason,” the cat points out, “This very reason. You need people, Natsume.”

“I have people. The Fujiwaras are more than I had ever hoped for.”

“But you don’t need to hope anymore,” Madara’s voice is hard, certain. His demeanor is unyielding as he says, “You have the chance now to take control of your own life. You’ve been doing it with us for years; why is this any different?”

_ Because this isn’t just about me,  _ he wants to say, yell even. He can’t involve Tanuma and Taki in his lifestyle just because he wants them in it. Pirating is too dangerous, and they have their own responsibilities. They come from completely different worlds, and Takashi is lucky to have even caught a glimpse of theirs.

Madara sighs, “Tell them, Natsume.”

He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly, eyes turned skyward where the sun and stars share the sky, “I’m not sure what there is to tell.”

“Well you better figure it out quickly,” Madara says as he hops off of the ship’s railing and saunters off.

Takashi stands there, a little dumbfounded at the sudden dismissal, “What do you-”

Footsteps sound behind him, fast at first but slowing in speed as they approach the docs.

“There you are.”

“We were wondering where you went.”

The pirate turns towards the gangplank where Taki and Tanuma have all but skidded to a stop. Each is slightly out of breath, the man more so, but they gaze up at him with relief and expectancy clear in their eyes.

“What are you doing here?” he asks dumbly.

Taki smiles indulgently, “We came looking for you.”

“You were missing, so…”

The woman begins making her way up the gangplank, “Couldn’t sleep?” she asks, concern visible on her face even in the dim lighting.

A small, breathless laugh escapes the blond, “No, I guess I couldn’t.”

“Not used to sleeping on solid ground?” Tanuma teases, joining the other two and nudging Takashi playfully with his shoulder. The man still looks half asleep, but Takashi can’t help but find him endearing--both of them are.

He’s a little astonished that they woke up at all, what with the poor rest they’ve been getting while at sea. His heart flutters at the thought that they’d get up to check on him despite their obvious exhaustion.

“I was just thinking,” he answers. In the distance, he sees Nyanko-sensei’s eyes flare in the dark, watching him in silent support, “I’ve, uh,” he pauses, flushing, “I’ve liked having you around.”

The words don’t hurt nearly as much once they’re out on the open air, and he finds the pair’s matching smiles to be more encouraging than anything Madara has had to say on the matter.

“We’ve really liked it too,” Tooru agrees, stepping into Takashi’s space ever so slightly. She leans against her fiancé, but with him brushing Takashi’s shoulder and the circle she’s made with her presence, the pirate is close enough to feel her heat in the cool morning air, “I’m glad we got to meet you.”

Tanuma nods, “Travelling with you has been…” he trails off, brow furrowing ever so slightly, “Magical,” he finally settles on. His tone reminds Takashi of when he spoke about falling for Taki.

“Meeting you has been magical,” Taki adds. Her eyes meet Takashi’s wide and hopeful. 

It’s the awe in her tone, the gentle push she displays rather than insisting he talk that helps him calm down; makes him feel safe enough to speak freely.

“I don’t want to say goodbye to you,” he looks Taki in the eyes, and then makes contact with Tanuma, “Either of you.”

“I, um…” the daimyo takes a steadying breath, “Me either,” he admits.

Taki’s head swivels between her fiancé and the pirate, understanding flashing in her eyes. Her smile grows, wide and toothy in a way Takashi has only seen when she spots his mentor, “We don’t have to,” she says. It’s soft, an unobtrusive suggestion, but then her tone grows surer as she adds, “We shouldn’t.”

The pirate is fairly certain he and Tanuma have twin expressions of confusion when they turn to the blonde.

“You mean-”

“But don’t you-”

Takashi cuts himself off at the exact same moment Tanuma does, matching sheepish grins following each of their confused expressions.

Taki laughs, “See? This isn’t something we should give up.”

The captain takes a breath, "What is this? I consider you my friends, but, um…" he's not sure how to say what he wants. Not sure how to ask them to fill the spaces inside him that match their shapes.

A hand meets his, warm and smooth in his own. Taki's slides into his own hand with a gentle squeeze, before she grabs Tanuma's hand with her free one and places it atop both of theirs.

Tanuma breathes out a shaky sigh, "Yeah. We should...we should pursue this. If you want, I mean," he looks at the pirate, shy and scared and hopeful all at once.

Takashi can’t contain it; the joy in his heart. It’s a cloudburst on an otherwise unnotable day, sudden and exhilarating, and possibly dangerous. The people Takashi loves are hard to hurt. The Fujiwaras stay safe in their hometown, and his crew are only at risk should the ship be damaged, but Taki and Tanuma? They wouldn’t be safe. He can’t give up pirating--it’s the only way he can repay his family for all they’ve done and more than that, he cares for his crew too deeply to ever part from them--but he can’t put these two extraordinary people in danger either. They can’t stay with him. It’s too risky, too dangerous.

“I want to,” he admits, heart aching in his chest for what comes next, “But what about your families? What about the world I live in?”

The two daimyo exchange glances, “My dad won’t mind,” Tanuma says confidently.

“And I don’t need anyone’s approval except for yours,” Taki adds, a mischievous grin pulling at her lips as she eyes each man in turn.

“But my crew-”

“Is two members bigger now,” the woman interrupts, “Besides, having an in with two wealthy families will be good for business.”

_ It’s crazy,  _ Takashi thinks,  _ Crazy and unrealistic.  _ For them two be willing to change their entire lives for a man they’ve known less than a week…He can’t stop himself. He throws his arms around them, tears gracing his eyes.

“Thank you,” he says, squeezing them tightly and feeling as though his life is finally complete.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
